Constitutional court filing

The left-wing party Die Linke has initiated proceedings before Germany's Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe against Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU). The legal action, submitted through the Cologne media law firm Prigge, requests an emergency preliminary injunction to force the removal of a video posted on the official Instagram account of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. In the petition made available on 5 October 2026, the party contends that Reiche utilized state ministry communication channels in a one-sided, party-political manner to target Die Linke. The filing asserts that Reiche violated the constitutional neutrality obligation imposed on state organs and infringed upon the party's right to equal participation in political competition.

Origin of the dispute

The controversy stems from excerpts of a speech delivered by Reiche on 23 September 2026, which the ministry subsequently published on its official Instagram profile. In the posted video, Reiche argued that it is dangerous for the capital and for Germany as a business location when a party discusses expropriation, includes it in its program, and lives open antisemitism that frightens Jewish residents. The ministry social media post was accompanied by the caption stating that antisemitism and expropriation endanger Germany and the economy. Die Linke had previously issued a formal cease-and-desist letter requiring Reiche to take down the publication by 29 September 2026, but the video remained online on Sunday evening.

Escalation during Berlin coalition talks

The legal intervention coincides with ongoing political discussions following the Berlin state election on 20 September 2026, in which Die Linke emerged as the strongest political force in the Abgeordnetenhaus. Die Linke is currently seeking to form a governing coalition in Berlin with the Greens and the SPD, though preliminary talks over the weekend concluded without a definitive outcome. In its legal filing, the party warned that ministerial attacks could prejudice the negotiations and cause lasting electoral disadvantage.

“Regarding the ongoing government formation in Berlin, irreparable damage could threaten.”

Reiche reiterated her criticism over the weekend in an interview with Bild am Sonntag prior to departing on an official visit to Ukraine, warning of potential national growth losses under a coalition led by Die Linke in Berlin.

“What Die Linke represents here in Berlin and the people who represent it is not only dangerous for Berlin, but for our country. It is a danger to Germany as a location for investment and business.”

Wider legal action against CDU ministries

The Berlin branch of Die Linke views the statements by Reiche as part of a coordinated campaign by the CDU against its lead candidate, Elif Eralp. Beyond the federal petition, Die Linke has filed lawsuits and issued formal legal warnings against CDU-led interior ministries across five German states: Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hesse, Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. These state ministries had also published critical statements concerning Die Linke on their official government channels following the Berlin election results. The interior ministries in Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein subsequently removed the contested posts, whereas the ministries in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, and Hesse maintained their publications online.